Using magic to increase abilities

[Runhide]

Is it possible to increase skills, stunts and powers with a spell?  Could a spell increase your lore or even double it for a short time?  Say I have lore of 2 and I cast a spell to increase it to 4.  Would that even work and if so why?  In the opinion of another player in our group it can but I find it unlikely and am unable to find anything in the book that clears it up.  Your opinion although welcome will mean as little as mine to him. I need proof one way or the other so please reference the book or posts from creators on this forum.  Thankyou in advance for your time. 

[Ryan_Singer]

Thaumaturgy can be used *instead* of any skill; but it's a separate casting for each simple action. Check out "Solve Improbable or
Impossible Problems" on page 263 and "simple actions" on page 264.

Actually changing a skills value is a transformation, and is probably not something your character wants to do.

[devonapple]

The simple answer is to cast an appropriate maneuver on yourself and create a taggable sticky Aspect which would give a free +2 to a skill. It should be at least 4 shifts: 3 for the maneuver, 1 to make the Aspect sticky. That should let the player get one free +2, which can then be stacked with "navel-gazing maneuvers" for additional taggable Aspects.

No book at the moment, so no page numbers. My apologies.

[bibliophile20]

There are options, but it's to replace your skill, not augment it.

Hyperawarnes
This spell increases the caster’s awareness,
allowing him to react to danger much more
quickly.
Type: Spirit evocation, defensive (sort of)
maneuver
Type: Spirit or Air evocation, defensive block
Power: Dependent on caster ability. For Elaine
Mallory and this example, 5 shifts.
Control: Roll Discipline plus appropriate
specializations and focus items
Target: A caster typically casts this spell on
herself.
Duration: 3 exchanges
Efect: Thfis is actually a defensive block, but one
that works by amping up the wizard’s aware-
ness of her surroundings—subtle move-
ments of air, surges of hostile intent, that
sort of thing.  Two shifts are put into dura-
tion, leaving a Good (+3) effect, effectively a
persistent dodge of incoming attacks.
Variations: Longer or shorter duration yields a
lesser or greater block effect. Clever wizards
might redirect this spell energy to use the
block as a substitute skill roll result for
Alertness or Investigation. Some GMs might
be okay with setting aside the block and
instead using the efect strength as an indi-
cator of initiative.

Edit for emphasis.

[Tsunami]

There are options, but it's to replace your skill, not augment it.

The example you gave does not actually replace a skill roll. It's a straight up defensive block, that is described as an increase in awareness, making you able to defend against attacks.

But generally you are right. Thaumaturgy can replace any skill roll. Evocation can replace skill rolls as well, but in a more limited fashion- Movement being one example. If i want to use Air Evocation to move up on that 3 story building, then I basically use evocation to create an Athletics roll. Other examples come to mind... maybe a truthfinding spell that replaces an empathy roll...

In any case, Magic replaces the roll, it does not enhance it.
Except for maneuvers, which as mentioned here before, indirectly can increase skill rolls.

[sinker]

The example you gave does not actually replace a skill roll. It's a straight up defensive block, that is described as an increase in awareness, making you able to defend against attacks.

Actually if you read the part in bold it suggests that you could apply that block to perception based skill rolls as if you had rolled the number of shifts (In this example since it was a 5 shift spell it would be as if you had rolled 5).

[Tsukiomi]

Technically you could use thaumaturgy for this purpose, but it would be pretty large scale and would require much preperation. To make power the wizard would need the proper amount of refresh to spend. I would make the player work for getting the materials for such rituals.